A review of emerging issues and development possibilities of eco-tourism industry in southern Sri Lanka: A case study of Ussangoda red earth site of Hambantota District.

Abstract

Today, the industry of eco tourism has emerged as one of the important potential development ventures in the developing world and the traditional tourist areas are concurrently changing their face in this nature. Even in Sri Lanka, this trend is becoming very attractive and there are great development possibilities behind it. The traditional tourist sites are gradually transforming ^as eco-tourism areas. The integrated coastal zone management project of Southern province has already identified and declared around 89 sites as environmentally sensitives, in which, the Ussangoda ,the in-situ Red Earth site, is very popular and attractive place for local and foreign visitors. Although, declared as a protected archeological site, polluting and damaging the natural habitats have caused its sustainability. No institution or no clear administration mechanism exists to designed for the protection of the environment. In this context, the safe guarding the biodiversity and environmental sensitivity of the area is becoming great challenge to the policy planners and authorities. In this study, the researchers highly emphasized the neediness of community based environmental action plan for safeguarding the sustainability of this sensitive site.